The object of neither of them was to be founders of sects out of the Church, but to produce a change within the Church. It was soon however manifest that their end could not be attained by remaining, even outwardly, conformable to the rules of the Church in regard to its ministers. The doors of the parish churches were soon closed against them, and the meeting-houses of the dissenters were closed likewise. They then preached wherever a congregation could be gathered together, in rooms or in the open air, and preaching with the zeal and energy of the Apostles, it was in vain, with a like the English, to attempt to prevent them from making a deep impres sion. Such energy of preaching had not been witnessed since the time of the old Puritans. The effect indeed maybe described as marvellous. The cry." What shall I do to be saved I" was heard from many voices wherever they had an audience ; sometimes this cry was accompanied by dreadful shriekings and faiutings. The accounts given by friends and enemies are in respect of this the same. Many well-meaning persons regarded it only as a mischievous enthusiasm By the profane the preachers were not mill equently assaulted, and their lives placed in jeopardy. But many were soon found ready to assist them in their work, either by forming into societies persons convinced by them, and erecting chapels for their assembling together, or by taking upon them selves the taco of teacher, and following in the track which their masters had trod. There were at the same time a few persons who were ministers in the Church, and who did not heave the parishes in which they were settled, who seconded the labours of these men. Such were Fletcher, Sellun, l'erronett, Dickinson, Verm, Grimshaw, and others. • Whitefield died early, worn out by his extraordinary exertion. He was the founder of the Calvinistic suction of Methodists. Of this sect of Methodists the original* chapels have become, not adopting any connexional bond, Independents ; but from it arose two separate sects, the Countess of Huntingdon's connexion, and the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists. The first has an endowed college at Cheshunt for the education of its ministers, with 109 chapels (accommodating 38,727 persons, at the census of 1851), in many of which the ritual of the church of England is used in a modified form. On Sunday, Marsh 31, 1851, the I attendance was, in the morning 21,103; afternoon, 4380; and iu the evening 19,159. The Welsh Calvinists at the same dates had 828 chapels, with accommodation for 211,951 persons; and the attendance was, morning, 79,728; afternoon, 59,140; evening, 125,214. In 1853 they had 207 ministers, 234 lay preachers, and 58,577 communicants.
The life of Wesley was prolenged to his eighty-seventh year; and when he died, which was in March, 1791, lie Kiel been sixty-five years in the ministry, and fifty-two years an itinerant preacher ; lie lived also to see in Great Britain and Ireland about three hundred itinerant preachers and a thousand of what are called local preachers "raised up from the midst of his own people," and eighty thousand persons in the societies under his care. Such WWI the state of this one principal branch of Methodism at the time of Wesley's decease. Some thought that as it had grown with him, it would die with him : but they were mistaken. Ile had provided (as far as human means go) for its perpetuity by binding up his members in a church, with a frame and constitution as strong as could be given to it by subordination, authority, rules, common interest, and the bond of common property. Thoroughly regardless, of accumulating personal wealth, the contribu tions of the members of his societies, which had long far exceeded the expenses, enabled him to transfer to the hely of preachers, in whom, as in an assembly of presbyters, lie vested it, whatever interest he had ' in a multitude of chapels in every part of England, and a large surplus fund ; and this property, it is understood, has gone on year by year constantly increasing. notwithstandieg the vast exertions which have
been made in the erection of chapels, schools, and other buildings, the support of an additional number of preachers, and in missionary exertions among the people not yet converted to Christianity. It was in 1738 that the first Methodist society was formed by Wesley himself on his return from Heruhut in Germany, and in 1739 there were several chapels in London, the principal one being in Fetter Lane. In 1740 Whitefield separated from them. In 1743 the rules, which still continue in force, were drawn imp for the London and other societies, especially those of Mato' and Kingswood, the part of the kingdom in which, at the beginning of his ministry, Wesley had chiefly laboured. Those rules set forth, that the Methodists are a people who, in addition to the form of Christianity, seek the power of godliness, and manifest it by good works : the societies are united, that by counsel, exhortation, and prayer, they may assist each other in the great work of religion.
We proceed to describe the constitution of these societies and of the general union of them, forming the highly important dads of Christians called the Wesleyan Methodists.
These societies are divided into classes of twelve persons generally, but sometimes more, and he that is supposed the best qualified by mental and religious excellency, is appointed the leader. His duty is to see his members weekly, to receive the voluntary contributions of his class, and to take the amount to what is termed the " leaders' meeting ;" that is, the stated meetings of all the leaders and the society stewards in a certain locality, where the society of the place is repre sented, and its affairs transacted. The society-stewards take the moneys from the leaders, pay the ministers their weekly stipend, and take the surplus to the circuit-stewards at the quarterly meeting. In the leaders' meetings are stewards for the poor also, who at the direc tion of the meeting give to the leaders, for their poorer members, whatever funds may be furnished by any society and congregation for that purpose.
A number of these united societies lying around some central town or large chapel is known as a circuit. The villages or chapels in the vicinity of the centre are regularly visited by the ministers at stated times for the purpose of conducting worship, and the discharge of other pastoral duties. In the origin of Methodism these circuits included not merely one county, but sometimes parts of several ; but now, owing to the spread of Methodism, the circuits are limited to a diameter of twenty, ten, and in some cases of fewer miles. The societies and congregations in these circuits are committed to the care of the ministers yearly appointed by the Conference ; and more especially to one who is termed the superintendent : generally, when compared with his fellow-ministers in the same circuit, he is of the longest standing in the connection, but not always so, as the Conference claims the right of appointing to this office the person whom it judges the most proper. To the superintendent principally the direction of the other ministers is committed, as well as that of the local preachers also, who are men in business and only occasional preachers ; and in addition to the above, the superintendent has the care of the leaders, stewards, and, in one sentence, the whole circuit : he is accountable to the Conference for the use of the power committed to him.